2015 Chevrolet Traverse: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
313 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The first-generation Traverse (2009–2017) carries timing-chain and engine complaints on the 3.6-litre V6, plus the steering-rack and power-steering complaints of the 2011–2014 years. The 2015–2017 cars score in the 70s. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 313 complaints, score 76/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 313 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 28.45
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an odor of rotten eggs inside the vehicle. The odor was discovered to be Hydrogen Sulfide that was entering the cabin of the vehicle from the overcharged batteries. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with PCM failure. That contact stated that the…
Code : P0496 Evap omission system high purge flow code Not clear what has caused issue but car is never over filled with fuel When car is fueled and turned back on sputters and struggles to run properly It often needs to be turned off and turned back on Have been told this is a common issue with the make and model of the car
Our vehicle has a hole/leak in the pipe before the catalytic converter. This is a known problem in other years of the Traverse, and the warranty was increased substantially to fix an obvious and proven issue. GM needs to repair our 2015 Chevrolet Traverse at no cost to us before the fumes cause harm to anyone in the cabin.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V782000 | Air Bags:Frontal | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. |
| 21V246000 | Air Bags:Critical Fasteners | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. |
| 23V334000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. |
| 22V246000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. |
| 15V044000 | Tires | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured December 9, 2014, to January 14, 2015, 2015 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured December 9, 2014, to January 20, 2015, and 2015 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured December 9, 2014, to January 16, 2015, and all equipped with Goodyear P255/65R18 Fortera HL… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,250
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags162 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Engine37 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System28 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Steering27 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Power Train23 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other23 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Chevrolet Traverse years
Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (162 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 76/100, computed from 313 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse's most common problem?
162 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse cost to run per year?
About $6,000 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,000 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/10/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 313 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 313 NHTSA complaints on record (28.5/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (36.8/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems